キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain's Log, Stardate 12.17.2008
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Bags because they’re HECKA EASIER! HELLOOOOOO! Besides, save a tree.
2. Real tree or Artificial? I like the smell of real trees (had them while growing up) but cleaning up the needles in January was a pain in the petootie! Gimme a fake one anyday! I’ll burn pine logs to get the smell.
3. When do you put up the tree? That should probably be IF we put up a tree. Since it’s in the living room, the Christmasy eye candy is lost on us.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Year’s Day. Sometimes a few months after New Year’s Day ...
5. Do you like eggnog? Yup! Full fat! Bring it on, baby!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Books! (Come on, you saw that coming, right?)
7. Hardest person to buy for? My parents! They already have pretty much everything they want. If they don’t have it, they’ve already bought it. And anything they do want is WAY out of my price range.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year, we’re GOING GREEN! (Haha, get it?) We’ll have a Christmas website newsletter!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? It turned into a White Elephant gift.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Lord of the Rings marathon! Yeah, baby!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? January
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Of course! And made the new recipient very happy, I might add.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Grandma’s shortbread cookies is way up there, but Mom’s toasted almond triangles is a close second. And let’s not forget Mom’s Chex mix, made with my Aunty Gail’s recipe but “embellished” by Mom with a hundred different kinds of cereal and macadamia nuts until it’s the most un-put-downable thing in the house!
16. Lights on the tree? Of course
17. Favorite Christmas song? I hate Christmas songs, only because they play nothing but Christmas songs in December, and it’s THE SAME 20 SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN JUST SUNG BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes, because of that infamous song.
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star—I’m all about the bling.
20. Open the presents Christmas eve or Christmas day? One on Christmas eve, the rest on Christmas day ... EARLY on Christmas day ... like 12:01 AM.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? THE SAME 20 SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN JUST SUNG BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? I am a simple girl and prefer red and gold balls. But I did get a set of international Santa ornaments that my mom made and they’re really cool.
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Prime rib roast! Rare enough to walk off the plate!
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Knitting needles and yarn.
25. Who is most likely to respond to this? YOU MY BLOG READERS!!!!
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Bags because they’re HECKA EASIER! HELLOOOOOO! Besides, save a tree.
2. Real tree or Artificial? I like the smell of real trees (had them while growing up) but cleaning up the needles in January was a pain in the petootie! Gimme a fake one anyday! I’ll burn pine logs to get the smell.
3. When do you put up the tree? That should probably be IF we put up a tree. Since it’s in the living room, the Christmasy eye candy is lost on us.
4. When do you take the tree down? After New Year’s Day. Sometimes a few months after New Year’s Day ...
5. Do you like eggnog? Yup! Full fat! Bring it on, baby!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Books! (Come on, you saw that coming, right?)
7. Hardest person to buy for? My parents! They already have pretty much everything they want. If they don’t have it, they’ve already bought it. And anything they do want is WAY out of my price range.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? No
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? This year, we’re GOING GREEN! (Haha, get it?) We’ll have a Christmas website newsletter!
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? It turned into a White Elephant gift.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Lord of the Rings marathon! Yeah, baby!
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? January
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Of course! And made the new recipient very happy, I might add.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Grandma’s shortbread cookies is way up there, but Mom’s toasted almond triangles is a close second. And let’s not forget Mom’s Chex mix, made with my Aunty Gail’s recipe but “embellished” by Mom with a hundred different kinds of cereal and macadamia nuts until it’s the most un-put-downable thing in the house!
16. Lights on the tree? Of course
17. Favorite Christmas song? I hate Christmas songs, only because they play nothing but Christmas songs in December, and it’s THE SAME 20 SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN JUST SUNG BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!
18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Yes, because of that infamous song.
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star—I’m all about the bling.
20. Open the presents Christmas eve or Christmas day? One on Christmas eve, the rest on Christmas day ... EARLY on Christmas day ... like 12:01 AM.
21. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? THE SAME 20 SONGS OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN JUST SUNG BY DIFFERENT PEOPLE!
22. Favorite ornament theme or color? I am a simple girl and prefer red and gold balls. But I did get a set of international Santa ornaments that my mom made and they’re really cool.
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Prime rib roast! Rare enough to walk off the plate!
24. What do you want for Christmas this year? Knitting needles and yarn.
25. Who is most likely to respond to this? YOU MY BLOG READERS!!!!
Comments
May I do this on my blog and link yours and Cheryl's to my blog?
Go ahead, Lynn!
Camy
My husband's ipod has a Christmas playlist that has Louis Armstrong singing "Christmas in New Orleans" and "Zat you Santa Claus". There are plenty of songs to play at Christmas time. The ipod or MP3 player is the best way to make sure the variety is up to your standards. Or you could tune your computer to KSBJ.org for their Christian music Christmas songs. Their variety is superb...
I love Christmas music sooooooo much.
Now the commercials and the exta circulars in the papers really burn my biscuits.
My favorite food is my family's cream cheese dip - we usally eat an 8 ounce block a person ;)
I love March of the Wooden Soldiers(I own a copy) but my all time Christmas favorite Miracle on 34th Street. When that is doen, I sit down and look a the Stra Wars Trilogy.
I am so stoked to be know I will be spending 5 days with all my family having a blast.